Fitness forecast
Health & Wellness — By Rohan Apte on June 11, 2012 at 12:06 PM
There is an increase in the number of malaria and dengue patients as well as those suffering from cold and fever. The reason? The monsoons! Stomach infections are running high as well.
Now before we blame it all on the monsoon, let’s look at the other reasons as well. The fall in health and fitness levels is due to the unhygienic conditions, wrong eating habits and obviously the break down in our resistance levels due to irregular exercise regime.
Changing the exercises in accordance with the changing season is very important as it helps in maintaining a good level of endurance to face the changing temperatures. Here’s how you can schedule it.
- Winters: Muscle strengthening workouts and cardio vascular exercises for about an hour and fifteen minutes can really get our tolerance levels up, and help one in muscle strengthening.
- Summers: Light workouts like yoga and pranayam, early morning walks and swimming are great. Follow a very light weight training regime for 45 minutes and team it up with cardio exercises on alternate days.
- Monsoons: As high humidity could make it hard to exercise and breathe, it is always good to exercise at a mid point level of the winter exercise schedule and the summer exercise schedule.
- Please remember that our body’s capacity to confront the challenges posed by the monsoons will not improve by only 2 weeks of exercising. Like I said last time, consistency in taking efforts to maintain good health is required. Those who remain consistent with their workouts have a good chance to stand up against the infections arising during this season. For those who came in late, here are a few pointers.
- No other season can provide better and un-polluted atmosphere as the rainy season can! Deep and proper intake of oxygen really helps in raising the resistance power of our body. Pranayam is what you should practice.
- The best results of doing pranayam can be achieved by teaming it up with yoga. An hour, at least thrice a week should be dedicated for yoga and pranayam.
- Muscle strengthening and cardio vascular is the mantra. Make sure that extremely heavy muscle strengthening or cardio exercises are avoided! Everything in moderation can give better results rather than going for the extreme.
- A big NO for outside food and fried stuff. However tempting the Wada-pavs and bhaji’s seem, DO NOT over indulge into these.
- Avoid sour and fermented food.
- Consume freshly prepared food.
- For people who consume non-vegetarian food should have more soups and stews and avoid heavy curries.
- Amongst vegetables, gourd, snake gourd, pointed gourd, cluster beans and bitter gourd are suggested.
- Water it is of utmost importance that water is boiled and purified before consuming it.
Our intention to exercise makes a lot of difference. If you feel you are too weak to face this monsoon, always remember that all of us are much stronger than what we think. Proper attitude, intention and consistency can make us all strong enough to face all the seasons, if not today, then tomorrow.
